Award-Winning Shrubs for Gardeners in New England
Regional Gardening, Best Shrubs, New England Gardening
Hardy shrubs are essential elements in New England gardens. They add depth and character to any garden and provide lovely blooms, attractive berries, showy fall colors, and food for the birds.
Selecting the right shrub variety might be daunting for New England gardeners. If you are looking for beautiful, low-maintenance, and hardy plants that thrive in the New England region, you may want to consider these top-performing shrubs which all won the Cary award, which is a joint effort between the Worcester County Horticultural Society, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, the New England Nursery Association, the Massachusetts Nursery, and Landscape Association, and many other organizations across New England. The goal of this program is to promote outstanding plants for New England gardens. Named in honor of plantsman Ed Cary, it identifies superior ornamental landscape plants that meet the growing conditions of the region and have proven their performance. Each year, this program selects new plant winners in 3 categories: shrubs, vines, groundcovers, and trees.
Below is the list of the prestigious shrub winners. As you will note, some of them have also received the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society!
Best Shrubs for Gardeners in New England
Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea' (Sawara Cypress)
A very popular evergreen shrub noted for its gracefully weeping golden foliage, Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea' (Sawara Cypress) is a dense, semi-dwarf conifer that slowly grows into a broad cone of open habit. A real attention-getter with drooping, cord-like foliage emerging golden yellow and providing a lovely contrast with the darker green older foliage. It keeps its bright color throughout the growing season before fading in the fall. Small glaucous green cones appear in summer before turning dark chocolate when ripe. This hardy evergreen shrub has an annual growth rate of 6-8 in. (15–20 cm). Remaining attractive all year round, this Sawara Cypress provides unusual texture in the landscape and looks charming in rockeries.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 4 - 8 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Early,Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall Winter |
Height | 6' - 20' (180cm - 6m) |
Spread | 3' - 7' (90cm - 210cm) |
Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby Spice' (Summersweet)
A truly beautiful shrub with distinctive, bright pink, bottlebrush-like, flower spikes, delightfully fragrant and long-lasting (up to six weeks) in mid-late summer. It also provides great fall color with its lustrous dark green leaves turning glowing yellow. More compact than the species, this hardy shrub should be planted near a patio to enjoy its extremely fragrant summer blooms. Insect and disease-resistant, its flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 3 - 9 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun , Shade |
Season of Interest |
Summer (Mid,Late) Fall |
Height | 4' - 6' (120cm - 180cm) |
Spread | 3' - 5' (90cm - 150cm) |
Enkianthus campanulatus (Redvein Enkianthus)
Enkianthus campanulatus (Redvein Enkianthus) is a handsome, upright, bushy shrub with spectacular fall color and attractive clusters of nodding, bell-shaped, red-veined, creamy-yellow to whitish-pink flowers from late spring to mid-summer. Its elliptic, blue-green leaves are crowded in clusters at the branch tips and turn magnificent shades of orange and red in fall. Generally pest and disease free.
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My CollectionHardiness | 5 - 8 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Late) Summer (Early,Mid) Fall |
Height | 6' - 10' (180cm - 3m) |
Spread | 4' - 6' (120cm - 180cm) |
Fothergilla major (Mountain Witch Alder)
Native to the southeastern U.S., Fothergilla major (Mountain Witch Alder) is a slow-growing, deciduous shrub that is admired for its delightfully fragrant, bottlebrush-like, white flowers in spring, its leathery blue-green summer foliage, its spectacular fall color (leaves turn fabulous shades of yellow, orange and red-purple) and excellent disease resistance. With an upright spreading habit, this deciduous shrub spreads slowly by suckers.
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My CollectionHardiness | 5 - 8 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall |
Height | 6' - 10' (180cm - 3m) |
Spread | 5' - 9' (150cm - 270cm) |
Hamamelis x intermedia 'Pallida' (Witch Hazel)
Noted for its abundant flowering, the quality of its foliage, and its pleasant fall colors, Hamamelis x intermedia 'Pallida' (Witch Hazel) is one of the most popular hybrid Witch Hazels and one of the finest winter-flowering shrubs. Hardy, this medium to large, vase-shaped, deciduous shrub features dense clusters of sweetly and strongly scented, bright sulfur-yellow flowers in late winter. Each frost-proof flower consists of 4 narrow, curled, and crinkled, strap-shaped petals with red-purple calyces. Standing out well from a distance, the ascending branches of this Witch Hazel are clothed with broad oval green leaves which turn eye-catching shades of yellow in fall.
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My CollectionHardiness | 5 - 9 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Fall Winter |
Height | 9' - 12' (270cm - 3.6m) |
Spread | 9' - 12' (270cm - 3.6m) |
Heptacodium miconioides (Seven Son Flower)
Native to China, Heptacodium miconioides (Seven Son Flower) is a unique plant with year-round interest. This large, fountain-shaped, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub features clusters of fragrant, creamy-white flowers at the branch tips over a long bloom season from late summer to early fall. The blooms appear in whorls, with each whorl containing 7 small flowers (hence the common name of Seven-Son Flower). They are a great source of nectar for butterflies and hummingbirds in the fall and are followed by even showier crops of purplish-red fruits crowned by eye-catching rose calyces which last into late fall. The large, heart-shaped leaves are shiny green and deeply veined. Heptacodium miconioides remains attractive in winter when strips of pale bark peel away to reveal dark brown inner bark. No serious insect or disease problems
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My CollectionHardiness | 5 - 9 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Summer (Late) Fall Winter |
Height | 15' - 20' (4.5m - 6m) |
Spread | 8' - 10' (240cm - 3m) |
Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight'
Incredibly popular, Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight' is a robust, upright, and spreading deciduous shrub boasting huge, luxuriant conical flowers, up to 6-12 in. long (15-30 cm). Held upright on sturdy stems, they are well distributed, making a very attractive plant and display. As an added bonus, they change color as they mature, gradually turning from lime-green to creamy white in late summer to a rich, deep pink before finally fading to beige in fall. As the flower show fades, the oval, dark green leaves turn to lovely shades of red for a breathtaking autumn display. Persisting well into winter, the panicles provide additional winter interest.
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My CollectionHardiness | 4 - 8 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Summer (Late) Fall |
Height | 6' - 8' (180cm - 240cm) |
Spread | 6' - 8' (180cm - 240cm) |
Ilex verticillata 'Red Sprite' (Winterberry)
Native to the swampy areas of Eastern North America, Ilex verticillata 'Red Sprite' (Winterberry) is a dwarf shrub with excellent year-round interest. This deciduous holly produces abundant small greenish-white flowers in late spring or early summer that are followed by a profusion of bright red berries in fall and winter. Extremely attractive, they enliven the winter landscape and often persist into early spring unless eaten by birds. The foliage consists of elliptic, toothed, glossy, dark green leaves
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My CollectionHardiness | 3 - 9 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Early,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall Winter |
Height | 3' - 5' (90cm - 150cm) |
Spread | 3' - 5' (90cm - 150cm) |
Ilex x meserveae 'Blue Princess' (Blue Holly)
One of the most popular female hybrid holly selections, Ilex x meserveae 'Blue Princess' is a bushy, spreading, broadleaf evergreen shrub with excellent year-round interest. It produces abundant small white flowers in spring that give way to a profusion of attractive bright red berries in fall. Extremely showy, they enliven the winter landscape and persist throughout winter. This holly variety also offers dark purple stems and glossy, dark blue-green, spiny-toothed leaves.
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My CollectionHardiness | 4 - 9 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Early,Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall Winter |
Height | 10' - 15' (3m - 4.5m) |
Spread | 8' - 10' (240cm - 3m) |
Kalmia latifolia (Mountain Laurel)
The state flower of Connecticut, Kalmia latifolia (Mountain Laurel) is a broadleaf evergreen shrub that gets covered with abundant clusters of bright pale pink flowers, opening from deeper pink buds and lasting for several weeks in late spring and early summer. Very showy, the blooms are bell-shaped, white to pink with deep rose spots inside, and give way to brown fruits that persist into winter. The quality year-round foliage of oval, leathery, glossy leaves changes from light-green to dark-green to purple throughout the year and is reminiscent of the leaves of rhododendrons. Native to Eastern North America, Mountain Laurel is one of the most beautiful native flowering shrubs and is well displayed as an ornamental in many gardens.
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My CollectionHardiness | 4 - 9 |
---|---|
Exposure | Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Late) Summer (Early) |
Height | 5' - 15' (150cm - 4.5m) |
Spread | 5' - 15' (150cm - 4.5m) |
Pieris 'Brouwer's Beauty' (Japanese Andromeda)
An excellent choice for the landscape, Pieris 'Brouwer's Beauty' is a dense, compact, evergreen shrub that provides desirable winter interest, abundant spring blooms and a delightful foliage which holds its color across the seasons. It features deep purplish red flower buds in winter, which contrast nicely with the shiny, dark green foliage, transitioning to a profusion of urn-shaped, pendulous, creamy white flowers held in horizontal trusses at the tips of the branches.
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My CollectionHardiness | 5 - 8 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Early,Mid) Winter |
Height | 5' - 7' (150cm - 210cm) |
Spread | 5' - 8' (150cm - 240cm) |
Rhododendron 'Ken Janeck'
With some of the prettiest flowers, Rhododendron 'Ken Janeck' is a broadleaf evergreen rhododendron that, in mid-spring, displays abundant clusters of about 13 to 17 soft pink trumpet-shaped flowers. Each richly colored bloom of this midseason rhododendron opens up from deep rose-pink buds to pale pink blossoms and gradually fades to white, the upper lobe being slightly spotted green. The dark green leaves are long, narrow, and slightly recurved with a thick coating beneath. Grows in a compact, dense multi-stemmed, and mounding shrub.
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My CollectionHardiness | 5 - 8 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Mid) |
Height | 3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm) |
Spread | 3' - 5' (90cm - 150cm) |
Rhododendron 'Olga Mezitt'
Providing interest all year long, Rhododendron 'Olga Mezitt' is a small-leaved, early midseason Rhododendron boasting an abundant floral display of dome-shaped trusses of about 12 clear pink flowers in late spring. Each slightly fragrant bloom features inconspicuous golden green blotches that age to reddish-brown. The shiny green, lance-shaped aromatic leaves are disease resistant and turn lovely coppery-burgundy shades in winter. Grows in a wide and upright evergreen shrub.
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My CollectionHardiness | 4 - 9 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Late) |
Height | 4' - 5' (120cm - 150cm) |
Spread | 3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm) |
Rhododendron vaseyi (Pink-Shell Azalea)
One of the first and most beautiful spring-flowering native azaleas to bloom, Rhododendron vaseyi (Pink-Shell Azalea) is a deciduous, irregularly rounded shrub that features trusses of 4 to 8 delicate pink to white, flat-faced flowers on leafless stems, with some prominent spotting in their throat. Blooming in mid-spring, the blossoms appear before the foliage of shiny, dark green leaves emerge. In fall, its foliage turns from bright green to glowing orange and red, igniting the garden with color. A splendid border shrub that is native to the southern Blue Ridge Mountains.
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My CollectionHardiness | 5 - 7 |
---|---|
Exposure | Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Mid) Fall |
Height | 10' - 15' (3m - 4.5m) |
Spread | 8' - 10' (240cm - 3m) |
Rosa Knock Out® (Shrub Rose)
Blooming its heart out, Rosa Knock Out® is a compact shrub rose which produces abundant clusters of single to semi-double, vibrant cherry-red flowers, up to 3.5 in. across (9 cm), adorned with up to 11 petals. The blossoms do not fade in the heat and stand out against the disease-resistant, dark purplish-green foliage. Blooming continuously from spring until frost, the flowers are followed by decorative orange-red hips. The foliage turns purple to burgundy in fall. Easy to grow, low maintenance, drought tolerant, and self-cleaning, this immensely popular shrub rose is an exceptional choice for the landscape and suits every garden and lifestyle.
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My CollectionHardiness | 5 - 11 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall |
Height | 3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm) |
Spread | 3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm) |
Syringa pubescens subsp. patula 'Miss Kim' (Lilac)
A low-maintenance plant with excellent resistance to powdery mildew, Syringa pubescens subsp. patula 'Miss Kim' is a charming lilac that provides interest over three seasons of the year. In late spring, it gets covered with abundant, sweetly fragrant, lavender to ice blue flowers which open from rich purple buds. It also provides good fall color with its dark green foliage turning attractive burgundy shades in the fall. A slow grower of upright, compact, somewhat rounded habit, this lilac is ideal for small gardens.
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My CollectionHardiness | 3 - 8 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Late) Summer (Early) Fall |
Height | 6' - 8' (180cm - 240cm) |
Spread | 6' - 8' (180cm - 240cm) |
Vaccinium angustifolium (Lowbush Blueberry)
Vaccinium angustifolium (Lowbush Blueberry) is an American beauty that puts on a long-lasting show in the landscape. In spring, it features attractive clusters of small, waxy, white, pink-tinged, bell-shaped flowers. They are followed by abundant, juicy, and edible blue berries in summer - a delight for birds, wildlife, and humans alike! Its glossy, lustrous foliage turns from reddish-green in spring to bluish-green in summer and to spectacular shades of bronze, scarlet and crimson in fall. Even winter provides charming interest with the yellow-green to reddish twiggy branches forming a lovely silhouette.
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My CollectionHardiness | 2 - 8 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall |
Height | 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm) |
Spread | 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm) |
Yucca filamentosa (Adam's Needle)
Native to the southeastern United States, Yucca filamentosa (Adam's Needle) is a very ornamental, broadleaf evergreen shrub featuring a basal rosette of rigid, sword-shaped, spine-tipped, deep green leaves edged with curly filaments. They are topped in early to midsummer with a dramatic flowering stalk reaching 5-8 ft. (150-240 cm) and bearing panicles of nodding bell-shaped creamy white flowers, about 2.5 in. long (6 cm). Foliage may also be variegated, adding a bright note to the garden year-round.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 4 - 11 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Early,Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall Winter |
Height | 3' - 8' (90cm - 240cm) |
Spread | 2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm) |
Selecting the right shrub can be daunting for New England gardeners. If you are looking for beautiful, low-maintenance and hardy plants that thrive in the New England region, you may want to review the guides below. They will assist you in finding the top performing shrubs that are perfectly suited to your garden.
Great Shrubs for Dry Soils in New England
Do not despair if your garden is affected by dry soil conditions. There are plenty of beautiful shrubs for difficult sites like yours.
Great Shrubs for Shady Gardens in New England
Shade gardens can appear like a planting challenge for some gardeners. They might not be aware of the wide variety of gorgeous shade-loving plants that will thrive in filtered light or deep shade.
Great Shrubs for Sunny Slopes in New England Gardens
Steep banks and slopes are particularly challenging for most gardeners. Often difficult to access, poor and sandy, they are prone to erosion, soil drying and tend to be overrun with weeds. Below is the list of shrub species and cultivars that tolerate the conditions of a sunny slope in New England landscapes.
Great Shrubs with Berries for Winter Interest for New England
Plant one of these shrubs or small trees and enjoy a spectacular late fall and winter display. They all possess brightly colored fruits and are an excellent way to brighten the drab winter garden, turning sorry spots into beautiful focal points.
Great Shrubs with Brilliant Fall Color for New England Gardens
Few gardeners choose their shrubs because they have brilliant fall color. Fragrance, flowers, colorful berries, and ornamental shapes are usually the main features most gardeners request. And yet the long-lasting autumn leaf change is one of the most spectacular displays in the plant world.
Overlooked Flowering Shrubs for New England Gardens
Most gardeners plant Forsythia, Potentilla, Lilacs and Rhododendrons. They overlook a wide range of exciting flowering shrubs with fragrant flowers, ornamental fruits and colorful foliage in fall.
Garden Examples
Guide Information
Hardiness |
3 - 7
|
---|---|
Heat Zones |
1 - 3
|
Plant Type | Shrubs |
Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun, Shade |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Early,Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall Winter |
Water Needs | Average |
Maintenance | Low |
Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Cut Flowers, Plant of Merit, Showy |
Attracts | Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds |
Landscaping Ideas | Beds and Borders, Hedges and Screens, Patio and Containers, Ponds and Streams |
Garden Styles | City and Courtyard, Coastal Garden, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow, Traditional Garden |
likelike / 123RF Stock Photo
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
Guide Information
Hardiness |
3 - 7
|
---|---|
Heat Zones |
1 - 3
|
Plant Type | Shrubs |
Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun, Shade |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Early,Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall Winter |
Water Needs | Average |
Maintenance | Low |
Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Cut Flowers, Plant of Merit, Showy |
Attracts | Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds |
Landscaping Ideas | Beds and Borders, Hedges and Screens, Patio and Containers, Ponds and Streams |
Garden Styles | City and Courtyard, Coastal Garden, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow, Traditional Garden |
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